<p>A watchful eye.</p>
<p>The state's system of categorical funding for schools is a bureaucratic labyrinth. It consists of dozens and dozens of separate pots of money and is marked by outdated programs and inequities.</p>
<p>It is also marked by a sea of red tape that is inconsistent and confusing. Some categoricals are closely watched by the state, and the scrutiny, uncomfortable as it can be, has paid off for both taxpayers and schoolchildren. Other programs receive limited reviews, or no monitoring at all, begging the question of whether they are working.</p>